Ever get into a "Funk"?

[ohioriverrat]

I fished for a long time when I was young. I did OK, but eventually, when long periods of non productivity set in (due maybe only to poor ability), I became frustrated. And then later, I just quit fishing altogether.... for close to thirty years.

Did the same thing with golf. Just didn't get much better, lost interest, and haven't played again for five years.

Now I didn't throw all my stuff away or anything like that. I just migrated into other things to do. Next thing I knew, it was many years later.

Since my wife is getting into fishing, I have also re-kindled the spark. What I don't want to do is get into the same funk. Last weekend was a poor weekend for me (us). The weekend prior was a banner week. But I find myself thinking more about making a widget on the metal lathe this weekend instead of heading for the river, which would do nothing for the wifes newfound passion.

I enjoy fishing very much, and I love the fact that my lady wants to do the same things with me. But I like to, well, catch fish! I don't have access to the BEST fisheries in the world. The Ohio river, while holding plenty of fish in my area, is not world renound for many and big bass.

So with this being asked on a forum of nothing but folks who eat, sleep and dream fishing, Do you ever get into a "ain't catchin nuthin" funk? What keeps you going, besides the obvious chance to catch King Kong or twenty average fish per outing?

[DINK WHISPERER]

Personally, fishing has been a passion for me since a very young age! I could go months without any significant catches and still be content! It would just inspire me that much more to adapt! Drag racing is my other hobby and the same can be said there! I could lose 20 or 100 races in a row and it would just inspire me to one up the competition you know. IMO, when you truly love doing something you do it for just that, because you love it!

Besides, that's why it's called fishing and not catching, lol!

[Daniel My Brother]

I have a buddy who's very much like this. He expects action when he fishes. The solution for him is having lots of places to fish, and targeting a lot of different species.

In the spring it's crappie and bass. Soon after we usually target bluegills for a trip or two. On Sunday we're planning to go after catfish, they love the warm weather. We'll be using live shad and nightcrawlers, so just about any fish that swims is fair game.  This fall we'll target white bass when they start their run. After that we'll go snagging for Silver and Bighead carp....maybe even catch some gar. Eventually we'll float the Eleven Points and fish for smallies and trout.

In addition to this, he may book a trip or two to go deep sea fishing in the gulf, then try for redfish and trout while he's down there.

Something is always biting if you're ready to catch 'em.

[Busy]

Figuring out how to get out of that funk keeps me going

And it feels good when you do too.

[tnbassfisher]

When it's a passion, there is no reason for you to want to quit. I could go two weeks without catching a single fish, but I'll still be out there trying.

[WRB]

Going out and expecting to catch bass every trip may be your problem, KVD can't do that.

Enjoy being outdoors and observe your surroundings; birds, animals, sunrise, sunsets and stop worrying about catching the biggest bass in Ohio and focus on sharing quality time with your partner.

You will never be Tiger Woods or KVD, you are what you are and life is too short to waste quality time.

You apparently like to tinker with making things, try making a few lures.

Learn to use a top water lure early in the morning and late evening; 2 Splash-It's, 1 for you and tour partner should work in Ohio.

Next learn to fish plastic worms, they can be fished from shore or a boat effectively.

keep it simple and you will have some good days catching bass and some good days being outdoors with your best friend.

WRB

[.dsaavedra.]

I enjoy fishing very much, and I love the fact that my lady wants to do the same things with me. But I like to, well, catch fish!

you're not going to do this at your lathe, i can assure you

if you want to catch fish, you gotta fish for them.

but if you don't feel like fishing, thats ok too, nobody's forcing you. don't burn youself out by fishing a lot when you don't really feel like it, and when you're not "in your game".

take a break and the urge to go fishing again will come to you.

[D4u2s0t]

Like WRB said, I just enjoy being out on the water.  Catching fish is a bonus!  Too many people give up too quickly.  But if you don't enjoy being out on the boat, or on the dock, or the beach, or wherever your fishing, you eventually won't like fishing.  I've had days where i've gone out and caught close to 100 fish in a few hours with my buddy, and there's days where we go out and get skunked.  It's all a part of fishing.  

[TommyBass]

A non-world renouned fishery should make you have all the more urge to go!  The urge to be the best on your water. Thats what drives me is the never ending learning process and trying to figure out those stupid fish.  The better I get the better I want to be and so on.  True that being outside is nice and relaxing... but its my opponent (both fish and other fisherman) that drive me to keep going. If I truely want relaxing I'll generally fish for crappie or catfish... something with less thinking  

[BIG B.]

Enjoy being outdoors and observe your surroundings; birds, animals, sunrise, sunsets and stop worrying about catching the biggest bass in Ohio and focus on sharing quality time with your partner.

WRB

[Sam]

Only while on the water, after 7 hours in an 8 hour tournament.

I get in a funk and wish the last hour was gone real fast.

Otherwise, no, never got into a fishing funk.

Now a work funk is something else all together.

[endless]

believe me though im still new to bass fishing i was in a funk for a good period of time fishing this lake where went boats at. the owner of lake use to tease us saying we might as well sell our equipment since we still yet to catch anything. so finally this year i did the one the avatar. i was proud too my biggest so far. im still chasing the bigger ones but one day i no ill get him on that line.

ive been in funks even with croakers before where they just aint biting and those fish are usually on feeding frenzy all the time. and when fishing for croakers i will have like three of my own poles out(had the share some space on the boat) and these fish are live bait fish.just shrimp or swquid and good to go but when they aint hitting they just aint hitting.but when they are man all the poles are jumping. nows that fun as long you are not on the phone.

same with cats too. i was so glad to finally to pull in a lil cat from the james river close to home last year where previously i have not caught nothing. my friends did (two 50 lbs) but me nothing and on my boat.

only time i actually stop fishing was when my boat went down. i wasnt in a funk but in the slumps. my heart was broken.

i wish my wife was more into it she'll go but i have to everything and she only enjoy herself for an hour or so. but i dreaming of the day my son get old enough. he just about to be two and man i cant wait for our day.

[guitarkid]

What gets me going thru the funk is trying to learn a new presentation, so I can be a more versatile and productive fisherman.

                      -gk

[kms399]

what keeps me going is, if they aint biting they should be so I will try everything till I catch a few they may not be big but I get as much satisfaction from figuring them out as I do catching them.

[bilgerat]

I have a buddy who's very much like this. He expects action when he fishes. The solution for him is having lots of places to fish, and targeting a lot of different species.

In the spring it's crappie and bass. Soon after we usually target bluegills for a trip or two. On Sunday we're planning to go after catfish, they love the warm weather. We'll be using live shad and nightcrawlers, so just about any fish that swims is fair game. This fall we'll target white bass when they start their run. After that we'll go snagging for Silver and Bighead carp....maybe even catch some gar. Eventually we'll float the Eleven Points and fish for smallies and trout.

In addition to this, he may book a trip or two to go deep sea fishing in the gulf, then try for redfish and trout while he's down there.

Something is always biting if you're ready to catch 'em.

Great point. If you are looking for action, get yourself an ultralight rig and see what's out there. In addition to many different species, you'll still get bass. And a 2 to 3 lb bass on UL is a blast, as are aggresive gills and other panfish.

[90x]

The solution to every one's problem can be summed up in three words, JUST DO IT! Vague words but a deep meaning.

[Lynx]

Its the love of the sport. The water, freedom, air, fish, good company, the fight, & everything that comes with doing something that you love & enjoy.

I have yet to be skunked Bass fishing for the last couple years, in fact its the only game fish I guarantee that I catch on every outing. But sometimes not catching anything happens to me in the case of fishing for example Sturgeon. My father has a friend that has went 20 years trying to catch one of these fish & still hasn't, I have been lucky to catch 2 in my life & that's putting more hours then I can count into it. But I still do it, for hours I sit & wait, but when the fish is on, & the fight happens....lets just say that its the only freshwater fish that will give you the fight of a shark. Its an unbelievable experience for sure.

That's why I fish.

GOOD LUCKS TO YOU IN CATCHING THE "BIG KAHUNA."

[Matt Fly]

My cure for a slump is:  go fishing for another species.

I always need a few cat fillets, crappie isn't to bad either.

Ocassionally, hit the stripers and hybrids.   Usually a break is all it takes to get the focus back.

[pitchin1]

Things can go right or very wrong and they definitely string together.

[Fishing Rhino]

Yes!  I have gotten into a funk, but not since I returned to fresh water recreational fishing after a hiatus of more than three decades.

How to avoid a funk.

Do not be a one trick pony.  Learn new techniques, and how to use different baits.

Sometimes all you need is a different presentation or a different bait to entice them into biting.  If they've grown weary of hitting a jig, try a wacky worm, or one of the many finesse presentations.  

Experiment.  Do not be locked into a going by the book mentality.  Try things which seem outrageous, and are contrary to the accepted "rules".

Those "rules" are not understood by the fish.  Example, fish the windy side, fish the shady side.  Sometimes they are to be caught on the sheltered sunny side of the pond.

I took a friend fishing yesterday.  We were doing well on one side of the pond.  When I moved to the opposite side, on nothing more than a hunch, or gut instinct, or intuition, we did even better.

He didn't question my move until we were headed in.  He admitted to having reservations regarding the move, since it was contrary to the established understanding of where to fish under given conditions.

I don't believe in hopscotching all over the pond just because a few casts in one area are not productive.

I'll fish an area with three or four different things.  If that is fruitless after fifteen minutes or so, I'll move to a different depth, or type of bottom.

That fifteen minutes may seem too short to some, and it would be on unfamiliar waters.  But, when you are intimately acquainted with a pond, and its potential, you learn how long to work over the fish holding bottom.

Patience is a virtue, but it can also be a vice.  You can keep tossing the same thing in the same manner, knowing that at some point the fish will want it.  The problem is they may not want that bait until tomorrow, or next week.

You need to find what they want that day.

There are endless theories as to finding fish, and finding what they want.

The beauty of fishing is that each of us can do it our way.  If a cane pole bobber and a worm baited hook is your thing, that's great.

If it's the highest tech available approach, that's great too.

You should be out there for your own enjoyment.  However you achieve that is fine in my book.

[ohioriverrat]

Great responses guys and gals! Seems everyone has their own way to "motor on" when times get tough. It is quite interesting what some of you do. I too will be fine. I don't have near the attitude problems that I had when I was younger. The original post was a lot of reminiscing coupled with a little bit of present day feelings. I doubt if I would burn myself out in only a few weekends. But I want the wife to have the best experience possible, to avoid her getting the dreaded funk. This newfound hobby of hers is almost like having a new wife (we've been married 33 years). I just do not want that to end.

One thing that is a bit different is the boat. I had not had a boat for most of my early days, and when I did get a small john boat, I couldn't handle it very well alone. I was by myself 100% of the time. This new (to us) bass boat, although small and underpowered by some standards, is like having all new water to fish. The difference between bank fishing, john boating, and 110 horses on a 16.5 ft platform is incredible. That alone is enough to keep me happy for a long time. I'm an explorer now as much as an angler.

Bottom line is, I thought this over quite carefully before jumping back in the water (no pun intended).  I expect our renewed hobby to prove it's longevity pretty well, or I would have resisted her overtures from the start. Will we fish every weekend? Very doubtful. But I believe that we will  have many fine hours together searching for the Big Kahuna. The rest of you should be so lucky.

Cheers

Mark

[fishfordollars]

Yes, and it's caused by lack of attention to detail and having too many things other than the task at hand on your mind.

Refocus on the current task and things will get better.

[Catt]

Ever get into a "Funk"?

Not enough to quit fishing altogether but during the 80s I quit tournament fishing full time; now I pick & choose which tournaments I want to fish.

When in a slump I would look for small things to change, like timing of the hook set, speed of the hook set. My favorite buddy & I have been fishing together for about thirty years & we don't hesitate telling the other when he is not on top of his game. It is not a major change that is usually needed when you are not getting bite.

[Tim1980]

I haven't got skunked in about two years, but have caught none in my last two trips.  When I was in high school I did a lot of farm pond fishing and always caught fish.  When I go through a dry spell I always go back to the farm ponds, just to catch some not big but constantly catch 'em.